DFAS gets new director

By Dawn S. Onley

Dec 04, 2003

Patrick T. Shine tomorrow will become the acting director of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, replacing Thomas Bloom, who departed to become the chief financial officer of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Shine, who currently works as director of the Military and Civilian Pay Services business line, will head up the world's largest finance and accounting organization until a permanent director is appointed, according to a memo that went out to agency employees.

Shine joined DFAS from the Army Finance Corps, where he served as comptroller. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Eastern Kentucky University and a master's degree from Indiana University.

Bloom had headed DFAS since May 1999. Under his tenure, the agency began a major modernization effort to consolidate more than 250 disparate and outdated accounting systems. The agency, which is the chief architect of financial improvements within DOD, has revamped financial policies and supply systems tools that help its personnel resolve payment recording problems.